Herts Sunday Senior Cup Round One

It was an excellent morning for the league’s clubs in the County Senior Cup with six teams making it through to the next round.

Rifle Volunteer, who enjoyed a good run last season in the competition, came though a nine-goal thriller to put out Queens Head Sandridge 5-4 after extra-time.

Volunteer had a dream start when an Andrew Lomas corner was headed home by Gary Froy, and minutes later the advantage was doubled when Lomas himself got on the score sheet with a lobbed effort from some 25 yards out, giving the keeper no chance. A third goal soon followed when Nick Kerley set up Myles Hall to score.

Queens Head finally got back into the game with their first real effort on goal, but the game looked in the bag for Rifle when Rob Gaffney headed home another corner.

The second half was a vastly different affair though, as the visitors changed to a direct style of play and buoyed by a goal right at the start of the second period, the momentum swung in their favour. Queens pulled back a third goal and with just ten minutes left, scored an equaliser to take the tie to extra-time.

Despite losing a three-goal lead, Rifle almost won the game at the death when Ronnie Blagden struck the post. But it was Blagden who put his side ahead in the first period of extra-time, when he shot home from a corner, as Queens Head were once again undone from a set piece.

The tie had one final twist in the second period of extra-time, Queens Head were awarded a penalty but it was saved to put the home side through.

Senior Cup newcomers Fox & Hounds beat The Gade 4-3 away, but they had to do it the hard way.

Trailing 2-0 early in the game, Michael Edwards halved the deficit before Josh Taylor equalised for Fox early in the second period.

The home side soon regained the lead, but Alex Witham scored to level the scores up once again, and then in the final minute Bradley Thompson smashed home the winner.

A hat-trick from James Edwards was enough to secure a 3-2 win for Chorleywood Club against Greenacres II.

Two goals in the first 20 minutes saw them take charge of the tie. Greenacres pulled one back at the start of the second half but Edwards scored his third goal eight minutes after the restart to restore the two-goal advantage.

Greenacres did half the deficit again 15 minutes from time but their opponents held on to go through.

The other game to end 3-2 was the all-WSL affair between top-flight rivals Oakview and St Josephs and it was Joes who went through.

Daryl Brown put Oakview ahead in the first half, but the game changed just before the break when St Josephs scored twice in five minutes through Patrick Lawrence and Alex Ward.

Adam Lowton levelled the scores early in the second period and then Oakview wasted several good chances to win the tie.

But neither side could score again and as the game went into extra-time, penalties increasingly looked to be on the cards until Basset Omutu grabbed the winner.

Reed Rangers did not seem to be bothered by the loss of top scorer Chris Blunden, who has joined First Division Colne Valley, as they thumped Barnet Sunday League team Roving Reporters 13-1.

The game was over as a contest by half-time as Reed scored five times without reply. They added a further eight in the second half, with the visitors pulling back a goal when they already trailed 10-0.

Karl Penny scored four times, Andrew Brennan netted a hat-trick and there were two goals each from Nathan Singh, David James and Joe Molineux.

Old Fullerians had a straightforward 3-0 away win over Oakwood Town - James Rose, Charlie Hailey, and Mark Needham with the goals – but a Chris White effort was not enough for Old Danes Athletic, who suffered a 2-1 defeat at Dane End United.

Eric Hand Challenge Cup Round One

Third Division The Tree caused an upset by knocking out First Division FC Unicorn 1-0.

The winning goal came ten minutes from time when after Marc Brownsell was fouled, substitute Matthew Morris slotted home the resulting penalty.

There was no upset as Second Division Rickmansworth Athletic easily beat Fourth Division NW FC 9-1.

Shane Kitts and Alex Ungreanu both scored hat-tricks, Rob Barron netted a brace and Nick Mihai got the other goal. Shakeb Ali scored for NW.

Intermediate Cup Round One

Two all-Second Division ties saw AFC Green Machine beat Ripstone 3-2 as Danny Roberts, Lee Puddephat and Kwabena Oppong scored for the visitors, with Tim Wilson and Lee Culverhouse replying.

The other contest saw Charlie Salvage and Andrew Humbles send Ardent through at the expense of Oxhey Rangers, for whom Ade Akindeine netted in their 2-1 defeat.

The all-Third Division tie between Hertfordshire Lions and Bushey Rangers resulted in an easy 6-1 win for Rangers.

Dan Whitman led the way with a hat-trick, George Davies added a double and there was one from Byron Hennessy. Carl Biggs netted the Lions consolation.

Premier Division

The only top-flight game saw Rickmansworth Town beat West Herts 2-0 with a goal in each half from Harry Brock and John Baker.

Division One

Bushey Sports Club and Compasses North are clear front-runners at the top of the table, with three wins each from their opening three games.

Sports enjoyed a 3-1 win over Langleybury CC thanks to two goals from new signing Steve Hewitt and another from in-form striker Rob Gradwell to take his total to five for the season so far. Jamie Madden pulled a goal back for the visitors.

Fellow pacesetters Compasses North beat RD FC 2-1 despite missing a first-half penalty.

Goals from Cleveland Brandy and Mark O'Connor then looked to have sealed the points, but a determined rally for RD saw Adam De Swarte give his side hope. But they could not force the equaliser their play probably deserved.

North Watford have a first three points of the season after scoring ten times against Croxley, although they did concede three times themselves.

Four goals in the first half helped to put North Watford on the road to victory, and despite conceding three times after the break they scored a further six to complete a comfortable win.

Shoaib Ali and Aamer Khan both netted hat-tricks for North Watford, with Tyrone Young, Ajmel Ahmed, Fehzaan Ahmed and Asher Alleyne scoring the others. Scott Ames (2) and Rida Zekri replied with the Croxley goals.

Evergreen’s clash with Colne Valley ended in a 1-1 draw with both goals coming in the last ten minutes from the penalty spot.

Chris Blunden, Valley’s new signing from Reed Rangers, scored on his debut, but deep into added-on time Ollie Cripps slotted home the equaliser.

Division Two

The only Second Division game of the day saw nine goals as Tudor Athletic beat Woodlands United 6-3.

Mike Varcoe scored three times for Tudor, with Aaron Robinson, Jack Robertson and Gary Warn also on target for the victors. Adam Rawlings netting twice for their beaten opponents and Nick Roberts once.

Division Three

Both games in the fourth tier ended in 2-1 home wins.

Inter got the better of AC Little Silhouette of Milan through Dayo Akinlabi’s brace as Chris Sharpe got the AC goal.

Donik Sopa and Billy Lobjoit scored for P&P Social as they beat Hertsmere, for whom Carl Beaumont responded.

Division Four

Two weeks after meeting in the first round of the Eric Hand Challenge Cup, and producing seven goals on that occasion, AFC Batchworth and Everett Rovers crossed swords again, this time in the league. Once again they served up a goal fest with Everett coming out on top this time, 5-3.

Reece Cameron, Barry Mitchell and Craig Scott gave Everett a 3-0 lead before Craig Mathieson pulled a goal back in the first half.

Mitchell scored his second of the contest early in the second period, but AFC battled back, scoring twice more through Joe Brown and Ellis Cooke. But a late goal from Robert Barham sealed the win.

Everett have two wins from two in the league, but it’s Railway Arms and South Oxhey who head the table after both made it three victories from their third games.

Arms convincingly overcame Chess United 7-2 thanks to Joe Perrin’s treble and singles from Jack Merrix, Dale Freeman, Paul Craig and Shaun Marshall. Matt Hargreaves scored twice for Chess.

South Oxhey had to come back from conceding an early goal to get the better of Batchworth 6-2.

Bradley Bridges, Dave Morrish and Aaron Davies all scored twice, with Charlie Kimpton and Michael Bright getting the Batchworth goals.

Sun Postal Sports came back from 2-1 down to beat Garston Athletic 3-2.

Nelson Santos and Edgar Ferriera were on target for Garston, but goals from Joao Riberio, Ben Williams and Lewis Gordon secured Sun’s first win of the season.